Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following a Pakistani attempt to target military installations in India, prompting retaliatory measures and heightened security across border regions. The incident occurred on the night of May 7-8, 2025, with Pakistan employing drones and missiles to strike multiple sites in northern and western India.
The Ministry of Defence reported that locations including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj were targeted. However, these attacks were successfully thwarted by India's Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems, including the Russia-made S-400 missile defense systems, dubbed “Sudarshan Chakra”. Debris recovered from the strikes has reportedly verified the source of the attacks.
In response to Pakistan's aggression, the Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems in Pakistan, neutralizing one in Lahore. According to sources, the Indian response was "in the same domain and with the same intensity" as the initial Pakistani attack. Explosions were reported in Lahore near Walton airport, causing panic and prompting the US Consulate General to issue a shelter-in-place directive for its personnel. Flight operations were also suspended at Sialkot, Karachi, and Lahore airports.
As a precautionary measure, several cities and districts in Indian states bordering Pakistan experienced blackouts. These included Jammu, Rajouri, and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as parts of Punjab including Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot. Blackouts were also enforced in border districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Haryana and West Bengal announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and cancellation of leave for police and administration officials. The ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was called off after the floodlights went off at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.
The recent escalation follows India's "Operation Sindoor," a series of targeted strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Satellite images have revealed the extent of the damage caused by India’s strikes on terrorist sites.
Amid the rising tensions, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India does not intend to escalate the situation but will respond firmly to any military attacks. The European Union has condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India.
